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Welcome to RichLefko.com.. If you find anything that doesn't work as you'd expect, please let me know by sending me an email at: EMAIL LINK. As more content becomes available, I'll let you know. One last thing, PLEASE, PLEASE visit the sponsor links and TELL them you found them at RichLefko.com. Thanks for visiting.....Come back again soon.

Stuff to make using the site easier ..

I use abbreviations for many things: Precip = Precipitation SWS = Special Weather Statements I will continue to add more to this list as I think of them. I update the forecasts by 7AM and 7PM each day...more frequently if some weather thing is going on.

I am based in Peterborough, NH, but the main forecasts (for now) are for Nashua, NH and the region. I send out an email every Thursday that covers the upcoming weekend forecast. I also send out advisories when issued by the NWS to this list. You will NEVER get SPAM or emails from anyone else. I don't share my mail list with anyone. If you'd like to be a part of that mailing, send your email address to: Mail List

How I started...

I've been a weather hobbyist all of my life. As a child, I used to stand outside in the rain during thunderstorms just to watch the lightning. Back in the '70s getting weather information was a chore. I remember listening to NWS broadcasts during hurricane season and plotting these on a piece of paper. After moving to New England I finally bought my first real weather station made by Davis Instruments. I began to record daily weather data in a journal. I had a few people, where I work, who knew I was a weather nut, ask me to send them an e-mail on the weekend forecast. So two grew to five then 15, then 40, and now my Thursday weekend mail list reaches over 200+ people. I took some web programming classes in the late '90s and a few years after that RichLefko.com was born. I wanted to share my hobby with anyone who was interested, and I am quite overwhelmed with how many people seem to be interested. I've gotten so many "thank yous" for a variety of reasons..."saved my party", "saved my wedding", "saved my life." It's been fun and rewarding all at the same time. Thanks for visiting RichLefko.com. Please tell your friends and family.

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK ------------------------------ At 1200 AM CST (0600 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Otto was located over the eastern North Pacific Ocean near latitude 10.8 North, longitude 86.2 West. Otto is moving toward the west near 13 mph (20 km/h). A turn toward the west-southwest and a faster forward speed are expected overnight. On the forecast track, the center of Otto will move away from the coast of Central America today.

Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph (110 km/h) with higher gusts. Some slow weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 990 mb (29.24 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- RAINFALL: Total rainfall of 6 to 12 inches, with isolated amounts of 15 to 20 inches, can be expected across northern Costa Rica and southern Nicaragua through this morning. These rains will likely result in life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. Recent reports from amateur radio operators indicate that mudslides are occurring over portions of northern Costa Rica.

Outer rain bands from Otto are expected to produce rainfall accumulations of 3 to 6 inches with total rainfall amounts of up to 10 inches over the higher terrain of southern Costa Rica through today.

WIND: Tropical storm conditions will continue in the warning area along the Pacific coasts of Costa Rica and Nicaragua for the next few hours.

SURF: Swells generated by Otto are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions over the next several days along the coasts of Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. Please consult products from your local weather office. High surf is likely to occur during the next few hours over portions of Lago Nicaragua.

NEXT ADVISORY ------------- The next complete advisory at 300 AM CST will be issued as an eastern North Pacific Public Advisory